Olive Tree Montessori

A workbench, tools and a mud table gave Olive Tree Montessori’s November 2023 nursery day a practical character: children’s learning included making, exploring and taking responsibility for the space around them. This Slough nursery operates at Manor Park Community Centre on Villiers Road, SL2 1NP, accepts children aged two to five and has 45 places in total.

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised progress for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The strongest detail beneath that judgement is the connection between hands-on activities and everyday skills. Counting fruit, describing a creation and clearing up after play gave children reasons to use language, numbers and independence.

Opening hours are 8.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. That school-day window is an important practical consideration alongside the nursery’s educational character.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care. In parent language, it brings learning and everyday care together: play can develop communication, physical skills and independence rather than treating these as separate parts of the day.

In November 2023, children used a workbench with hammers and screwdrivers. This was a concrete introduction to using tools, rather than simply hearing about what they do. Children also had choices between activities they initiated themselves and those adults organised around a topic. That combination gave them room to pursue an interest while staff introduced something new.

The topic of people who help us included farmers. In November 2023, activities involving vegetables and mud connected that topic with the origins of food. The useful feature was the link between an idea and something children could handle and explore. Learning was grounded in an experience.

Language and mathematics also appeared in ordinary routines in November 2023. Children counted the fruit pieces they chose at snack time, while staff introduced words for weight and size. Play dough creations became a starting point for children to describe what they had made. These examples matter because they gave speaking and counting a purpose within the activity, rather than reserving them for a separate lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2023, outdoor play included climbing equipment and bicycles. Children practised moving their bodies and judging the space around them. Indoors and outdoors both contributed to the day, with staff communicating as children moved between them.

The mud table supplied another kind of practical learning in November 2023. Children used cleaning tools to deal with mud they had spilled. Responsibility was attached to their own activity: enjoying a material and helping restore the space were connected experiences.

In November 2023, staff gathered information from families when children started and used it to plan experiences around their needs. Relationships therefore began with knowledge of the individual child. For parents, that is a useful distinction from expecting every newcomer to fit the same starting point.

Home languages were part of this work in November 2023. Staff learned about the languages children used at home, sang with children in other languages and used simple signs with children learning English or experiencing speech and language delays. These were concrete communication methods, giving children ways to participate beyond spoken English alone.

Emotional development also had a practical place in November 2023. Staff helped children discuss feelings and express them appropriately, alongside practising sharing and taking turns. However, Ofsted’s November 2023 inspection identified two improvements: children needed clearer explanations of behavioural expectations, and the manager needed a more regular structure of supervision and support.

Parent communication in November 2023 included feedback about the day, information about development and suggestions for learning at home. The value lay in connecting nursery experiences with family life. School preparation featured in that communication too, with parents describing children as ready for their next stage of learning.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Manor Park Community Centre, Villiers Road, Slough, SL2 1NP. The nursery opens on weekdays from 8.30am to 3pm and operates during term time. Families arranging care around employment need to weigh both the afternoon closing time and the term-time calendar.

Funding and Paid Extras

In November 2023, the nursery received early-education funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise of a funded place or a particular attendance arrangement.

• Term-time hours. The 8.30am to 3pm weekday opening window suits a school-day timetable. Families needing later afternoons or holiday care should factor those requirements into their decision.
• Explaining boundaries. Clearer explanations of rules were an improvement point in November 2023. During a visit, ask how staff now help children understand the reasons behind expectations.
• Support for management. Regular supervision for the manager was also an improvement point in November 2023. This matters because the person supporting practitioners needs a dependable source of guidance too.

Olive Tree Montessori suits families seeking term-time care for children aged two to five within a school-day opening window. Its November 2023 picture is strongest on practical learning: tools, food, play dough and outdoor movement supplied opportunities to develop useful skills through activity. Communication with families and attention to children’s home languages added substance to that picture.

The two improvement points deserve attention alongside the Good judgement. For parents, the decision is about both the fit of the timetable and how the nursery now explains boundaries and supports its management.